


I Hear Bells

by cynicalwerewolf



Series: A Clarification of Life [5]
Category: Changeling: The Lost
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-29
Updated: 2013-06-29
Packaged: 2017-12-16 13:36:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/862619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cynicalwerewolf/pseuds/cynicalwerewolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Most changelings find marriage an impossibility, but Neko and Ty feel ready to try.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Hear Bells

_I hear bells…_

That was what Tern said to me the day before Ty proposed. Just ‘I hear bells’. It was one of her apparent non sequiturs, but I always paid attention to them because about seventy-five percent of the time they actually had some bearing on the present or future.

That time they had. Ty and I had danced around each other virtually ever since he, Tern, and I had escaped the halls of the Great King of Cold Fire. I don’t remember much of the journey, or even what prompted him to take two partially grown cats with him, because neither of us had recovered human form until we were close to the human realm. I remember smelling my way back, and Tern had chased after me like she always did. I do recall the change from purely animal thoughts to more human ones…It was terrifying and liberating at the same time.

Anyway…Ty had saved up his money, and possibly made a mystic bargain with the maître d’ of a very exclusive restaurant to get a table and invited me to dinner on my birthday. Truth be told, although the food was very good, I would have preferred a less up-scale location, but afterwards he took me to the Emerald Dawn for dancing, and I actually got him onto the dance floor for more than two dances. 

That probably should have tipped me off, come to think of it.

Anyway, when we were done, we headed back to Dame Alice’s, and he stopped at the front door. He said, “N-neko…uh…I wanted to-to ask you…I-if you don’t mind…Understand, I don’t want…Y-you can say n-n-no if y-you w-wan-nt…”

I was getting a bit worried, and rather impatient, so I finally said, “Ty, for God’s sake, spit it out.”

He shuddered and pulled out a box. He opened it, revealing a gorgeous ring, and went down on one knee, and whispered, “N-neko…I l-love you dearly. W-would you do me the great honor of becoming my w-w-w-wife?”

I went giddy. I slapped him across the back of his head, and said, “Of course I will, you beautiful idiot!”

He blinked away tears as he held my hand and slipped the ring on my finger. He got to his feet and said, “Then let us go in, and talk with your sister. We need to discuss the future, and she’s going to be a part of it.”

I blinked at the sudden change, and realized that yes, something would have to be done about Tern. I looked at Ty and said, “What-what’s going to happen with her?”

Ty said, “I’ve been thinking that…maybe we could get a house. It’s going to be expensive, but I think that when you get a job, and I get my license in a few months, and if we call in a few favors…Tern could live with us. I want to make the offer to her.”

This was quite an offer, especially as Ty never quite seemed comfortable with Tern. Well, most people weren’t comfortable with Tern. Probably the only people besides me who were really comfortable with her were Egon Spengler and Raymond Stantz. I’m not certain that Peter is even comfortable with her, although he does a good job of faking it if he isn’t. I know their fourth isn’t. Shaking my head, I opened the door and we went in.

Dame Aliss was there. She looked at my hand and cackled, “So, boy,” she addressed Ty, “You got up the balls to ask her! Good for you!”

Ty blushed and ducked his head. I rolled my eyes. “Is Tern up?” I asked.

The Gristlegrinder smiled, “Of course she is. Did you really think she wouldn’t be? Especially after that one showed his hand to her earlier?”

I got a completely ridiculous image of Tern inspecting Ty’s hand, even though I knew that wasn’t what she meant. Although, she might actually have done that, I don’t know. You can never tell with Tern.

We managed to get upstairs, and into the room I shared with Tern. I opened the door to “Pins!”

“Saltpeter,” I said dryly, then continued, “And as much as I prefer _1776_ to some of your other choices, we want to talk to you.”

She smiled at me, and then arched an eyebrow at Ty, clearly implying ‘I told you so’. Then she bounced up and hugged me, saying, “I’m so happy for you, Neko.”

Then she surprised both of us by doing the same to Ty. She then stood back, with her eyes growing damp. She was still smiling, “You deserve all the happiness in the world. I know no one can give that, but you can try to help each other find it.”

I felt a lump form in my throat. I glanced at Ty and he was blinking back tears himself. He swallowed, and said, “I have an offer for you, Tern.”

She blinked, obviously she hadn’t foreseen this. She said, “What is it?”

Ty continued, “I know that you’re a part of Neko’s life, and I…am fond of you, even if you make me uncomfortable at times. I want to purchase a house and apply for custody of you, so you can live with us. It will be expensive, but…”

Tern cut in, “Your salary probably won’t cover that, but the Autumn Court will offer a great deal of support. Actually, the freehold might all chip in, after all, I am considered a valuable asset.”

If anyone else had said that about themselves, it probably would have been over-inflated self worth. However, with Tern, it was pure fact. She might not be able to force visions of the future, but her abilities to sense the present, as well as offer hints as to where those who could should look did make her a very valuable asset indeed. It was why her madness was tolerated, and she wasn’t receiving human psychiatric care.

Ty blinked in shock, he hadn’t considered that, then he smiled, “That would make things much easier. I never thought of that.” He reached out, and held her hands, “I will take good care of you and Neko. But I swear, I will not smother either of you, as much as my instincts tell me to be overprotective; I recognize that that is not always the best course.”

She smiled at him, and I did too. That had been my main concern for myself, and he recognized it and had answered it. 

I looked at Tern and said, “I want you to be my bridesmaid.”

She blinked. “Aren’t I a little young for that?”

I said, “You might be, but I can think of no one I want to have at my side when I take my vows. I reached over and held her, whispering, “Little sister.”

She leaned into the hug. “Big sister,” she whispered back. We rarely said it, but that was what we were to each other. She nodded, “Yes.”

* * *

We decided that we would take the Heart’s Oath on April 4, 1985, six months and three days after Ty proposed. Neither of us wanted to wait that long, but…It was a better omen than taking oath in the greatest time of power for the Court of Fear, or during the season of Sorrow.

It was going to be an odd oath-taking, because we were actually going to get married in mortal eyes at the same time. The justice of the peace would be clueless, but we were inviting all our close changeling and ensorcelled friends to be with us. Tern was my bridesmaid, of course, and Ty asked his roommate Arket to be his best man. Neither of us could think of anyone better than the quiet librarian, although I managed to arouse his more interesting side.

There were only a few other people we really wanted to be there. Fidget and his brother, Ty’s mentor, some of our Courts…and the Ghostbusters. Ever since I met a rejected and depressed Peter Venkman at the Emerald Dawn, I had become fond of the Ghostbusters, Peter in particular, and Tern was on extremely good terms with the other two changeling Ghostbusters. The two ensorcelled mortals were not quite as close, but we were friendly.

I delivered the invitation in person. I walked in, and said, “Hi, Janine.”

She looked at me and said, “Neko. The guys are on a bust at the moment, but I can take a message.”

I said, “You’re included in this. Actually, I think I might want to do some…girl stuff. I mean, I probably should be doing this with Tern, but she’s rather clueless about these things.”

Janine frowned, then looked at my hand and then she looked up, “Congratulations. So who’s the lucky guy?”

I smiled, “Ty.”

“Oh,” she said. She looked happy, but sad as well.

I went over, and laid my hand on her shoulder. “Have you had lunch yet?”

She looked confused, “No.”

“Put the answering machine on, and I’ll treat you,” I said, planning on subtly, or possibly not so subtly, pumping her for information. And possibly doing something about it. After all, I was a member of the Court of Desire. 

We went to a small deli that Janine frequented. After we got our sandwiches, we sat down. I said, “Is there something wrong?”

She didn’t deny it, but she tried to evade, “What makes you think something’s the matter?”

“The fact that you looked like you got a gift from a deceased relative about a week after you’d gone out of intense mourning for them.”

She blinked at the analogy, which, I had to admit, was not a very human one, but it was the only one that fit. She said, “Just…wondering why I can’t get a changeling who will even give me the time of day, romantically speaking.”

It was my turn to blink. I was tempted to use my Cupid’s Eye contract, but that would be cheating. However, I knew it wasn’t a general complaint…”Egon?” I tried.

She asked, “Is it that obvious?”

I said, “More process of elimination. No one who knows Ray can see him as anything sexual.”

She grimaced, “It would be like fantasizing about my kid brother.”

I continued, “Peter could have been a candidate, but I’ve seen how you interact, and it’s more like Tern and my relationship, so…not Peter. Which leaves Egon as the only changeling.”

“Yes,” she whispered. “I know that he’ll never think of me that way. That he is literally incapable of seeing me that way, but I still want him.” She looked at me, “And don’t offer to change my desires. I know that I can’t have him, and I’m coming to terms with that in my own time.”

I released the Growth of Ivy contract I had been preparing. Instead, I reached over, “I’m sorry. I wish you would let me do something, but…it is your own choice.” I ignored the fact that I had been about to take that choice away from her. She didn’t know, she only suspected, and there was no need for her to know for certain.

She nodded, and said, “So, when do you want to go shopping?”

I said, “We have some time, the wedding’s in April, but…soon?”

She said, “I have a cousin who just got married, I know a couple of good shops. Do you want to do it this weekend?”

“Sure,” I said.

Time went on, seemingly too fast and too slow at the same time. The date approached, and the week before the wedding, Tern had one of her bad spells. One of her homicidal bad spells. We were afraid for her, and also afraid we’d have to postpone the wedding, but she managed to get back to herself in time.

And then, I was standing in front of the Justice of the Peace with Ty, in my wedding dress. I had gone for simple, shoulderless white dress. Practically a sheath dress, but it was comfortable. Tern was wearing pretty much the same thing with shoulders and in a soft grey that matched her hair. Ty was wearing a grey tuxedo that matched his eyes, and Arket…well Arket had teased me with talk about a bright red tuxedo jacket and yellow pants, with a purple shirt, but had settled for a soft blue.

I don’t remember much about the ceremony, I was busy being terrified Ty would decide not to go through. I didn’t relax until he said,”…our pledge of love.”

That was my cue. I began, softly at first, but gaining confidence, “These are my words to you. In Winter, let me warm you. In Spring, let me sate your passion. In Summer, let me defend you. In Autumn, let me soothe your fears. Let me be your beloved, and you mine, loving you and no other, till the end of my days. I will be true to you, and you to me, never betraying - by word or deed – our love. Let our hands and hearts be bound, in this, our pledge of love.” As I said this, I enforced my will on the Wyrd, bringing our oath to its attention. I felt the bands settle, and I smiled. This moment was beautiful.

After the Justice of the Peace pronounced us married, we were quickly congratulated by Peter Venkman. For a man who avoided permanent relationships like the plague, he certainly was content to see other people marry. Ray looked just as happy, as did Fidget. Egon and Fidget’s brother weren’t so outwardly euphoric, but they were radiating contentment.

I looked at Janine. She wasn’t unhappy. She was relaxed, and she was glancing at Winston appreciatively…Maybe I wouldn’t have to nudge things. Maybe she’d get over Egon on her own.

Tern looked up at me after everyone else had offered their best wishes, and said, “I can offer you no more joy than I already have…but,” she pulled out a little flask, poured some of the liquid within on her hand, reached up to touch my forehead, and said, “I grant you peaceful dreams, free of fear and sorrow for one turning of the moon.

As she went to do the same for Ty, I blinked. She had given me the greatest gift, one she had probably been given for herself. I didn’t understand her selflessness, but I would do the best to protect her, my precious little sister. I would protect my husband the same way. No one ever said that protectiveness was a one way street, after all.


End file.
